Too much

Over the last several days I've put in a fair amount of miles and lots of climbing.  At least half of that is in the Prescott National Forest.  The other half is what geologists call the `transition zone' between the high Grand Canyon plateau and the low Phoenix desert.  Lots of sky, mountains, rolling hills.  Vast panoramas of drop-dead gorgeous terrain. 

Today's training comprised 70 miles and god-knows how many thousands of feet of climbing.  The contrast between the beauty of the natural environment was held in stark relief against the many never-before-seen by me roadside shrines to motor fatalities; the dead skunk, dog, cat, critters, and their bloody remains smeared across the road; the monstrous RVs pulling trailers of off-road 4-wheel toys; and, finally, another tragic automobile accident with almost certain fatalities.  The accident appeared to involve a car that went off the 2 lane road and down a steep embankment, rolling over and over before coming to a stop.  Multiple State Patrol vehicles, fire engines, ambulances and a helicopter.  Traffic backed up in both directions for a mile.

The contrast makes my head hurt.

Pictures of the terrain on which I train

The first is a link to my Picasa picture albums showing, first, the short and steep roads I use for `Hill Repeats' and, then, pics of the 34 mile, 4,600 feet of climbing out and back, up and over, course from Prescott to Wilhoit.  Prescott to Wilhoit and back

The second is the latest Garmin data and graphic of the Prescott to Wilhoit and back course.  Garmin - Prescott to Wilhoit and back

Season and transitions in training

Second week of November in the Arizona high country.  Living close by a ranging national forest and what geologists call a `transitional zone.'  Prescott is a smallish town on the edge a growing metropolitan area both east and north of us. 

Nights are cold and dark.  Days are typically sunny and warm.  If and when it snows it tends to melt away within a day or three. 

Gone are the days when starting a training ride at 7:30am promised 70 degree temps, pushing into the 90's by midday. 

Hill training several times a week for two or three hours.  Following loops into the national forest and back.  In the gym cross-training for several hours a couple of times a week.  One or two long rides into, through and out the other side of the forest every week. 

Outdoor training includes both front and rear wheel recumbents, and the upright Airborne Zeppelin ti bike. Indoor training includes Concept 2 indoor rower, the elliptical and a recumbent bike on the LeMond Revolution indoor trainer.  Calisthenics, situps, pushups and pullups. 

Consolidation, strength and balance are the training goals for the cold months.